Center Building demolition begins

Restoration of historic structure would cost millions

Barbara Hauschild worked for 15 years in the Center Building at the Topeka State Hospital. She authored a book about it called "On the Avenue of Approach". Demolition of the building and others has begun.

Five buildings on the former Topeka State Hospital grounds are being demolished.

Biddle (used for medical treatments) was built in 1910, according to Topeka Unified School District 501. The demolition is scheduled to begin July 1 and will end Nov. 30.

Center Building (administrative offices) was built in 1900. The demolition is scheduled to end Oct. 31.

Coffee Shop was built in 1957. Demolition is slated to begin July 1 and will end Nov. 30.

Dental Clinic was built in 1957. Demolition is slated to begin July 1 and will end Nov. 30.

Kirkbridge was built in 1957. Demolition is slated to begin July 1 and will end Nov. 30.

Other buildings on the property may have to be razed if they don’t fit future plans for the property or if they are found to have structural issues.

Superintendent Kevin Singer envisioned the property becoming a vibrant, state-of-the-art learning and renewable energy center when it was purchased in 2009. The vision hasn’t changed. During the past year, several meeting have taken place with university officials and businesses to discuss possible partnerships to develop the property. Because of the current economic climate, no definite plans have been formalized, USD 501 said.

Barbara Hauschild watched Tuesday as the inside of a building steeped in history — a place where she once worked — was being demolished.

"It's a sad day," she said.

Demolition of the historic Center Building of the former Topeka State Hospital began Tuesday, said Ron Harbaugh, spokesman for Topeka Unified School District. In February 2009, USD 501 acquired 152 acres of land and 30 buildings near S.W. 6th and MacVicar, which was home to the former hospital. The district purchased the land from the state for $2.2 million.

The five-story Center Building, with its turrets and balconies, is the most recognizable and iconic structure on the campus.

Chris Albert, general director of central services/facilities planning for USD 501, and his staff inspected each building to determine the condition of the walls, floors, roof and other areas, Harbaugh said in a news release.

Finney and Turnipseed, a consulting engineering firm, was hired to report on the structural condition of each building. To preserve the buildings, the walls, floors and roofs would have to be replaced, Harbaugh said. The cost of the restoration at Center Building and the Biddle Building, which sits to the west of Center, would be in the millions of dollars.

The buildings also contain asbestos, lead paint and mold. It was determined from the reports that five buildings, including the Center Building, should be torn down, Harbaugh said.

The Center Building is in such bad shape that Finney and Turnipseed wrote that "in no case should the public be allowed access to the building."

Hauschild, of Topeka, worked in the Center Building as secretary to Eberhard G. Burdzik, the 11th superintendent of Topeka State Hospital. She wrote a book on the hospital's history entitled "On the Avenue of Approach." She also was instrumental in improving the Topeka State Hospital Cemetery, which serves as the resting place for more than 1,150 patients.

According to Hauschild's book, creation of "The Topeka Insane Asylum" was authorized by the Legislature in 1875 — just 14 years after Kansas became a state. Shawnee County and the city of Topeka both put up $6,000 to buy the land, and the state put up the $25,000 for the construction of the first buildings.

Tuesday, which is when the demolition on the inside of the Center Building began, marked 131 years since the first patient, a Nemaha County man, was admitted.

The name was officially changed to Topeka State Hospital in 1901.

A Hospital Closure Commission in October 1995 picked Topeka State as the mental institution that would be closed. The hospital shut down May 17, 1997, after discharging most of its patients into community-based programs.

During the demolition of the buildings, the district is making an effort to save cornerstones along with bricks and other materials that could be used to construct an entrance-way or a dedication wall to remember the former hospital buildings, Harbaugh said.

The salvage contractor will resell or reuse as much of the material from the buildings as possible because the district is trying to be greener, said John Nesbitt, facilities manager for USD 501.

"There is a whole lot of history to the building," Nesbitt said. "I'm aware of that. But I think the school district always does the right thing, especially when it comes to safety. There are so many things not right (with Center Building). There are big holes in the floor, water damage from the rain. There are just too many items that have made the building not salvageable."

Jerry Carter, facilities planner for USD 501, said the state abandoned the building more than a decade ago.

"It's amazing how much a building can deteriorate when it is allowed to go," he said. "We have been concerned about (Center Building) for some time."

The exterior wall on the building has started to crumble and fall away, Carter said, and a section of the auditorium wall suddenly gave away a few weeks ago after hard rains.

The Center Building was constructed in 1900. Several buildings connected to it were destroyed in the 1950s, Carter said.

The Center Building is attached to an auditorium, which was used for church services, meetings and plays, and a kitchen and dining complex. Demolition of the Center Building and the buildings connected to it is expected to be complete by Oct. 31.

While author and former employee Hauschild understands the need for safety, she said it is still difficult to watch the buildings being razed.

As workers began demolition on the inside of the Center Building, Hauschild pointed to her old office.

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How are the Taxpayers and you are going to be assured that the project is going green? Have you got people on site to make sure it does not get dumped in the river? Are you following the trucks? Has the contractor taken care of all the asbestos abatement? Has the contractor had workers that have stripped the lead paint off the buildings exterior & windows BEFORE THEY KNOCK IT DOWN? ? We dont't kneed anymore TPAC employees that think they know how to do it AND THEY DON'T.

It was only a matter of time, but I'm still sad to see that building go. Some of the other buildings don't seem too bad, but I suppose it's hard to judge from the outside. Carter was right in saying the center building was "allowed to go." Maybe if someone had tried to conserve it and put it to good use, it would've survived.

To rehab this building, charming though it is, would have taken way more money than anyone with an interest in doing that could muster up.

This building was bad in places even before the hospital closed. There were already parts shut off and not being used due to structural deterioration.

I was by there yesterday taking pictures and saw one worker dumping debris down a chute from an upper story; didn't look to me like he was wearing any protective gear against asbestos or anything else, not even a simple filter mask. I was a little worried for him.

fortunately I took many pictures, and let me tell you, THE INTERIOR IS NOT AS BAD AS THOSE IN CHARGE ARE TELLING US. Most of the flooring is marble and in good shape. The paint on the walls is tearing away, but they're capable of being stripped and re-painted with lead-free paint. Most of the asbestos-containing ceiling tiles were already removed. I only saw ONE SMALL AREA on the first floor where there was water, as there were no signs of water damage on the upper floors. The second floor of the building is where the theater/auditorium is, constructed mostly of original oak and walnut (Aerosmith did a video in there in the mid-1990's.) All of the stairways in the building were sturdy and constructed mostly of oak. Even the stainless steel kitchen appliances in the basement kitchen appeared to be in good shape. Just like any building that's been closed up for a decade, the air quality was not good inside but that could be improved quickly. I spent about an hour inside the Center Building, but now I wish that I would've spent a few more hours there.

As recently as 2002, The Center Building could've been restored for about $500,000; today, it would've cost about $2 million. It's sad to see this Kirdbride building go. 501 will probably spend $200,000 on the demolition of this building as well as the other three, yet they can't afford the salaries of the 16 teachers that were recently laid off.

We got in and took over 700 pictures including the tunnels, the theater,the kitchen, all the rooms, and really there was no unsafe areas, the floors where in good conditions, the bathrooms looked fine... I dont know much about buidings but I didnt see any caving in, horrible areas I saw beautiful rooms, an amazing theater.

I am glad we got in to take pictures.... markbarr I would like to see your pics ill add ya on facebook.....

A Kirkbride Building is certainly historically significant. The Topeka one is listed on the Kirkbride website. These are all such beautiful buildings, sorry to see them go. I hope they really do salvage as much as possible.

I would like to see all of the pictures everyone too. This is a sad day for Topeka, I don't know how many times I've driven over to see that awesome old building. Too bad Topeka doesn't really care about saving old historic places. Too bad, it was a great one!